Mowing attachment for power machinery



Oct. 28, 1952 J. WINCHELL 2,515,292

MOVING ATTACHMENT FOR POWER MACHINERY I Filed Sept. 30, 1947 4Sheets-Sheet l Inventor Laurence J. Winchell Oct. 28, 1,952 J. WINCHELLMOVING ATTACHMENT FOR POWER MACHINERY 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 30,1947 Imn'mtor Laurence J. Winchell Oct. 28, 1952 1.. J. VVINCHELL MOVINGATTACHMENT FOR POWER MACHINERY 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept. 30, 1947Fig. 4.

Fig. 7.

r m m w I Laurence J. Winchell Oct. 28, 1952 L. J. WINCHELL 2,615,292

MOVING ATTACHMENT FOR POWER MACHINERY 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Sept. 50,1947 Inventor Laurence J. Winchell Patented Oct. 28, 1952 ii NI ED.STATES PATENT OFFICE MOWlNG ATTACHMENT FOR POWER MACHINERY f I LaurenceJ. Winchell, Fort S'cott, Kans.

- Application September 30, 1947, Serial No. 776,915

This invention comprises novel and useful improvements in amowingattachment for power machinery and more specifically pertains toamowing attachment which may be readily applied to tractors or other farmmachinery-for incorporating therewith. the advantages of a horizontallyrotating cutter bar but obviating the disadvantages commonly associatedwith such mowing devices. v

The principal feature of this invention resides in providing a cutterguard or shield arrangement which will prevent the commonly knownpulverizing or cuttingof grass at a plurality of points by the rapidlyrevolving horizontal cutter blade. The invention is further featured bynovel and improved means for mountingthis guarding attachment or shield,and which may be readily way of example only in the accompanying draw--ings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view illustratingthe attachment applied to aconventional typey-of agricultural cultivating power implement t Figure2, is a top plan view of the, arrangement shown inFigure 1; v H

Figure 3'is a side elevational view of-Figures 1 and 2; Figure 4 is anenlarged fragmentary detailed view, parts being shown in elevation andparts in vertical section, of a portion of the attachment;

Figure 5 is a top plan view of a part of the invention; I Figure 6 is agroup perspective view indicating a part of the agricultural implementframe and showing the manner of attaching the device thereto;

Figure 7 is an enlarged detailed view partly in section of aportion ofthe cutter guard attachment of the invention; a Figure 8 is a sideelevational view of a modified form of guard attachment applicable to amower having a horizontally rotating blade;

Figure 9 is a vertical transverse sectional detailed viewtakensubstantially upon the plane of .thesection line 3-9 of Figure 8 and,

Figure 10 is a perspective view of the guard attachment of Figures 8 and9. Referring now more specifically to the embodiment of Figures 1-? of,theaccompanying draw- 2 Claims. 101.5 254) on the crank shaft of theengine.

members 38 are brackets ings, wherein like numerals designate similarparts throughout the various views, there is disclosed a conventionaltype of power operated agricultural implement having a supporting frame[0 mounted upon traction wheels l2 and provided with power operatedmeans such as an internal combustion engin M. This type of poweroperated implement has one of its driving wheels provided with a drivinggear I6 operated by a pinion 18 carried by a lay shaft 20 suitablyjournalled upon the frame and operated by means of a pulley Z2 andbelt24 from a driving pulley 26 Th application of power to the drivingbelt 24 is controlled by a tensioning pulley 28 journalled upon the endof an arm 30 carried by a lay shaft 32 suitably journalled upon theframe and provided ,with an operating'arm 33 connected by a link 34 witha manually operable control lever 36. The

idler pulley thus constitutes the equivalent of a clutch in controllingthe application of power from the engine I to the traction wheels of theimplement, it being understood that both of the traction wheels arerigidlyfixed to the same axle, whereby thedrive is imparted equally toboth traction wheels. H l

. It is to be understood that customarily this agricultural implement isprovided with suitable tools secured to the frame [0 for cultivating theground, but these tools may be removed and the attachment comprising.the subject matter of this invention substituted when it is desired toconvert the device into a power operated mower.

At this point, attention is directed to Figure 6 for a betterunderstanding of the construction of the frame 10, whereby the manner ofmounting the device thereon will be more readily under.-

vstood. The frame member ID is shown as consisting of tubular sidemembers 38 having transverse end members including an integral frontmember 40 and a rigidly attached rear member 42, together withlongitudinally extending reinforcing tubular members 44 secured betweenand to the end members. Mounted upon the side 46 for journalling theaxle of the device.

Referring now to Figure 5, there is shown the supporting frame of theattachment which consists of longitudinally extending tubular members 48rigidly secured to transverse members 50,,and

positioned with the tubular members underlying 3 is clamped to the bars44 by means of detachable clamps or clips 52 carried by the rearmosttransverse member 59, while the forward member 50 is secured by similarclamps or clips 54 to the forplates 60 and 62 (seeFig. 1)

As shown in Figures 3 and 4, set screws 64 are provided in the tubularmembers 48 to lock,

and secure the support rods 56 in predetermined position therein.

Secured to the plates 60' and 62 adjacent their dihedral angle, is avertically disposed cylindrical sleeveBfi in which is journalled as bybear ings 68, a vertical shaft I0, having a driving pulley I2 at itsupper end and clampin plates I4 retained as by an adjusting nut 16' atits lower end. i

4 shield 86 with its teeth 88 serves to feed the grass evenly to thecutter bar and prevent possible contact of the latter with the ground.

To further assist in feeding tall grasses, hay or the like into themower, there is provided as shown in Figure l, a pair of upstandingmem-.- bers 98 and I00, which are secured adjacent the ends. of theplates 60 and, 6 2, in longitudinally as well as laterally spaced;position relative to each other, and which are connected across theirtops by a guide rail I92 terminating in a curved and forwardly extendingarm I04. As the device moves forward, it will be evident that thestanding grass or grain will be guided and bent by this guide railmember into proper position for cutting by the cutter bar.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that there has been provided a powermoving attachment which may be readily applied to a power operated Thepulleyli is connected bya twisted belt and which is rotatable in ahorizontal plane by the power applied through the belt I81 7 As will benoted by reference to Figure '2 in particular, the shaft I0 and itsassociated supporting structure are disposed to one side of thelongitudinal center of the tractor frame IB- in order that the belt I8may be in substantial ver-- tical alignmentwith the driving pulley I6.As

seen, the blade 88 is of such length as to cut a V swath of greaterwidth than that of the frameof the machine, the excess width lying toone side of thetractor frame.

Detachably secured to the angular, front faces of the plates andfiZ, andsurrounding the 'cas- 4 ing 66; isa shielding member 82 which isshapyedto forma portion of a frustum of, a' cone, as shown bestirr Figures 'land 2; Extending from the outer ends of the plates 69 and 6 2 aredepending arms 8 which support a guard -or shield plate 85 in a positionbeneath and closely adjacent to the cutter bar 813. vThis :guardshieldcomprises a generally annular member having'at itsfront portion aplurality. of. forwardly extending teeth 88: which extend.slightly:.beyond.the

ends of the cutter bar 80,. and; are closely-positioned therebeneath. v

As shown bestin Figures '3 and l-, one or more .sk-idmembers 90are-disposedbeneath the shield 85, and are pivoted as ate-2 .to thefront end of the shield and connected as by aifastening bolt 94 with aspacer washer 95 atthe rear end thereof.

The purpose of the skids fifi are toenable the guard, shield .86 toslide over the ground. despite irregularities of terrain, as theimplement and its mowing attachment are driven. forward, .to

thereby prevent the blade digging into. the

ground.

In operation of this form of the invention; it will. be noted that theshield 82 seryesito fully protect the pulley l2, belt M. and pulley'Ififrom contact by the material being out, while the guard farmimplement, and which may be readily removed therefrom. as desired, yetwhich is thor-' oughly effectivefor cutting grass or grain, in aconvenient and efficient-manner with an improved cutting action andhaving an improved guard and guide shield. 1 7

Attention is now directed to-Figures 8-10 showing amo'dified-form-ofthe: invention which may be applied to power mowers having ahorizontally rotating cutter bar. In this form of the invention, thereis disclosed generally at H0 any suitable type of power mower having thecustomary cutter bar [I2 positioned therebeneath and operable by. avertically disposed driving shaft I I4 through a-belt IIB connected bypulleys With an internal combustion engine or other source of' power asindicated generally at H8.

7 In'accordance with the principlesof this invention, there is provideda guard attachment for positioning beneath said cutter. bar toconstitute a guard or shield therefor. This attachment, as shown best inFigure '10, comprises a generally circular plate I20 having forwardly'projecting teeth I22 from its front end, an axial opening or apertureI24 in alignment with'the axle of rotation of the cutter bar, forreceiving or. permittin access to the adjusting-nut at the lower end ofthecutter bar axle, together with integrally formed supporting bracketsI2S- and I28. The bracket I26 is provided with a forwardly extending armslotted openings as at I32, adapted for adjustable engagement upon theside of the frame of the tractor I I0, while the arm' I28 is providedwith an angularlyv and inwardly disposed portion I34 whose terminal'isvertically slottedas at I35 for detachable. engagement with the otherside of the frame. By this means, it will be seen that the guardshieldmay be readily secured to theframeof this type of tractor, and

I "The operation of this shield'and attachment is similar to that ofthepreceding embodiment.

Since numerous modifications will readily o-c- "cu-rte those skilledinthe art-after a consideration of the foregoing specification andaccompanying drawings, it is not desired to limit the invention to theexact construction shown and described, but all suitable modificationsand equivalents may be resorted to falling within the scope of theappended claims.

I'3U- having vertically Having described the invention what is claimedas new is:

1. A mowing attachment for power machinery comprisin a support, meansfor mounting said support upon the frame of a power machine foradjustable, slidable movement, a housing on said support, a shaftsupported entirely by said housing and journaled therein, a'cutter bladeon said shaft, means for rotating said shaft, a guard shield consistingof a flat plate extending beneath said blade and directly mounted uponsaid sup- 1 port, skid runners mounted upon the underside of saidshield, said runners being pivoted to said shield for vertical pivotingmovement, spacer blocks interposed between said runners and said vshield.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said 6 shield includes teethextending forwardly from its front edge for guidin vegetation into thecutter blade.

LAURENCE J. WINCHELL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,880,154 Rotondo et al. Sept.27, 1932 1,940,216 Jacobson Dec, 19, 1933 2,225,139 Urschel Dec. 17,1940 2,318,430 Spahn May 4, 1943 2,478,558 Beranek et a1. Aug. 9, 1949

